catherine the great

As star and executive producer, Mirren sought to explore Catherine's dynamism for HBO: "They don't come any more powerful than that."

Helen Mirren is playing 18th century Russian Empress Catherine, who ruled from 1762-1796, the country’s longest-ruling female leader.

Red Carpet News TV talks to Helen Mirren about what attracted her to play 'Catherine the Great' and the show.

Dame Helen Mirren shares what attracted her to the role of Catherine the Great, the portrayal of the monarch's private life and how the series messes with gender stereotypes.

The Turks declare war and Catherine recalls Alexi Orlov to Council. Zubov is used to spy on her. Grigory is ailing from a virus he caught in Crimea. She tries to keep her grandson Alexander from his parents and grooms him to succeed her. While Grigory is back in Crimea, he dies. Catherine is grief stricken and she dies as well. It is discovered that she married Grigory 10 years ago. Paul succeeds her.

Prince Paul's wife and child die in childbirth. Catherine forces him to remarry and it produces a boy. Grigory wants to take Crimea and Catherine does not want a war. Their relationship is becoming strained, so she sends him to the Crimea to negotiate the expansion of Russia. She makes Grigory a Prince to the anger of her son and cabinet ministers. She forces them all to resign and sends her son Paul to Austria on a diplomatic tour. She is cleaning house to make way for her lover.

Dame Helen Mirren joins TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie to talk about her new thriller “The Good Liar,” which she says “takes amazing twists and turns.” She also talks about playing “Catherine the Great” in a new HBO miniseries – and about her tattoo!